1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to articles of jewelry. More specifically, the present invention relates to those articles of jewelry that require flexibility such as chains, bracelets, or the like. Such articles of jewelry are typically made of precious material such as gold, silver, platinum, and the like.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Typical articles of jewelry such as bracelets, chains or the like require some degree of flexibility in order to permit them to be encircled or wrapped around a portion of the body such as the wrist or the neck. Accordingly, many chains are formed inherently in a manner to provide such flexibility. For example, rope chains are formed by interconnecting individual links, which are interwoven into a double helix configuration providing flexibility by the movement of the links with respect to each other. A typical method of forming such jewelry rope chains is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,517. Essentially, a weaving type operation is utilized where one link is intertwined to the next link, into a double helix configuration. The links are then held together with strands of wire placed within the valleys forming the double helix configuration. The links are then soldered in such a manner that they will be self-retained without the wires and at the same time provide a degree of flexibility. The wires are thereafter removed and the chain remains in such a rope-like configuration.
Other types of chains also exist which inherently provide flexibility in their structure or configuration. By way of example, there is a chain known as the Omega chain. Such Omega chain has an internal flexible wire mesh that is initially formed in a woven configuration. Independent link segments are then placed over the woven wire mesh. The link segments are arranged in an end-to-end abutting relationship. The links are pressed onto the mesh, but provide flexibility between adjacent links.
Another type of flexible chain is known as the San Marco chain. This chain is formed by partial links that are essentially half of an annular configuration, each link forming a semicircle when two annular halves are joined. The links are connected by coupling the sides of opposite ends of two adjacent semicircular sections using internal hinge pins. In other words, a hinge pin connects an annular half of a first link to the annular half of the second adjacent link. The first link is then closed by mating a second annular half to the existing annular half of the first link (forming the complete semicircle). This process is continued so that these semi-annular links are hinged one to another to permit flexible movement between them.
Other types of flexible linking arrangements are available in other types of chains. Generally, all of them have typically links of one shape or another that are interconnected by one means or another to provide such adjacent flexibility.
While such assemblies of chains are well known, the cost of producing such chains is quite high because of the necessity of intensive labor activities that are involved in the formation and the interconnecting of such links to form such flexible chains. Accordingly, a need exists for methods and apparatus for forming decorative chains that are less labor intensive to manufacture but at the same time preserve both the appearance and flexibility of jewelry made from conventional chain assemblies.